We're blogging BLINK 2024!
Your destination for all things BLINK, happening Thursday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 20 across Downtown and Northern Kentucky.
BLINK is a supporter of Cincinnati Public Radio.
We talk to a first-time BLINK artist about their experience
This is only the second time Lauren Ys has painted a mural with projection mapping on it. The Los Angeles-based artist says having the animated light projected onto the mural is opening their mind to different possibilities.
"My style of art has come from animation. I worked at Dreamworks when I was younger, so everything is inspired by trying to tell a story, incorporate movement and color and character," they say. "I think it's a reasonable step to get into animation like this."
The mural shows two fairies, leaning in as if to kiss. During the nights of BLINK, the scene is lit and animated by Fragment 9, a studio based in Colorado, west of Denver.
"They're very, very talented. We worked together to think about things and try to build a process with it," they says. "It's a little bit confusing though, for me personally, because I paint buildings without using a projector or grids. Everything's freestyle, and so everything ends up a little bit different from what I planned."
Ys painted a mural at a Denver event in 2023, and it had projection mapping. "While I was painting it, they 3-D modeled the character so they could cast shadow over it. It was bonkers."
The fairies in the mural are wearing traditional Chinese Hanfu dress. Ys says the art represents their queer and Asian cultures.
"Doing queer art is really hard because representing a sexuality visually is, as you can imagine, dicey," they say. "I wanted to have this moment before a kiss with two characters but also not be so over-the-top with it, so everyone can take away what they want."
This is the first BLINK mural and the first trip to Cincinnati for Ys.
"It's such a cool event. I've never seen anything like it. Just to feel like the whole city is out together, appreciating art. Everyone here seems to really appreciate art, which I love."
The mural is at the corner of Liberty and Pleasant in the Findlay Market zone.
What we saw during BLINK's opening night
WVXU staffers headed out for the first night of BLINK and caught some amazing shots from the parade, drone show over the Ohio River, Music Hall and more.
'BLONK' is the rogue guide to BLINK 2024
If you’re looking for a unique way to experience BLINK, try going off the chosen path.
The app BLONK includes a map of all the official light festival installations, plus lots of unofficial projects. You can star attractions you don’t want to miss, and filter for specific things like murals, light installations, and events.
"It's just kind of a guide in your pocket as you're walking around," said Nathan Bollinger, one of the app's creators. "All of the official stuff is legitimate and up to date, and you might see some art that you wouldn't otherwise see."
Bollinger and fellow software developer Jason Alghussein first launched BLONK for the 2022 light festival, after Alghussein applied to be an official BLINK artist with his mural "Welcome to Jaffa."
"I think part of the reason why it was declined is just because that location of the mural is just a smidge off of the footprint of the official BLINK footprint of the event," Alghussein said. "So I kind of had this playful idea that I ran by Nathan, which was like, 'Why don't we just build our own app and put my artwork on it?' "
So one night the friends sat down to work and, as Alghussein puts it, "a couple of Mountain Dews and pepperoni pizzas later, BLONK came into being."
The creators say they love the festival and created BLONK as a way to include more of the community in the event.
"It really sort of emphasizes this boots-strapping type of vibe that BLONK is," Alghussein said. "A little bit of DIY, rogue, hey let's figure it out, let's do something on our own."
A light installation will be included in Alghussein's "Welcome to Jaffa" mural again this year.
"I'm actually also working on a brand new mural in Cincinnati on Main Street and the title of that work is 'Focus on Love,' " he said. "It features a young Palestinian girl wearing heart shaped sunglasses amid the rubble of Gaza, amongst this current conflict taking place."
Don't miss the 'unofficial' BLINK events
The main attraction for BLINK is the art, but there are other things besides murals, sculptures and projection mapping.
And not all the displays and art this weekend are officially part of BLINK. Some are created by people who have no connection to the festival. Executive Director Justin Brookhart approves.
“We just think that’s amazing that folks are saying ‘Hey, there’s this big event going on but we can be supplemental to it. We can do our own thing. We can dress up. We have a building that we can get some lights on,’ ” Brookhart says. “Our friends at the Know Theater are doing something. I know some of the Downtown residents' councils from different buildings are going to dress up their balconies. I just think it’s great that people feel like they can join the collaboration.”
The Know Theater is screening an animated series and displaying interactive technology.
Wednesday night, there was a fun run 5-K, and an organized ride of decorated bicycles. A number of bars and restaurants have their own shows, and several groups planned annual meetings in Cincinnati to coincide with the festival.
Court Street is hosting a Night Market all four nights of BLINK. Lam Dang with Asianati says there will be 14 food vendors, along with activities including traditional Japanese and Korean games.
“When BLINK came about, we wanted to build something that represented the AAPI community,” he says. “And when you think about immersive experiences, lights, smells, and sounds, you think of nothing more than traditional night markets found throughout Asia. And we wanted to bring that to Cincinnati.”
Asianati created the Asian Food Fest in 2010, and has been showcasing and celebrating the diverse traditions, arts, and experiences within Asian cultures.
Black Lives Matter mural's role in BLINK
Plum Street in front of Cincinnati City Hall has been closed this week. Like a lot of other street closures this week, it's tied to BLINK. The creator of the arts collective, Black Art Speaks, Alandes Powell explains.
“We are excited to be redesigning — I mean totally redesigning — the Black Lives Matter mural, which highlights 17 Black art leaders alongside more than 100 artists,” she says. “Coming together to tell a collective story of unity, and of our shared aspirations of family, peace, and equality.”
Equality and inclusion have been major themes of BLINK this year.
The mural re-dedication is Saturday at 7 p.m.
Black Art Speaks will premiere a short film on Pleasant Street in the Findlay Market zone. "We Love Us" tells the story of Lincoln Heights, Roselawn, Avondale and Forest Park. It will play through the weekend.
BLINK parade info
Past BLINK festivals have started with a parade, and the fourth edition will as well.
Since 2022, the parade has been presented by 'Ish. Executive Director Marie Krulewitch-Browne says she loves how the parade brings the community together.
“It truly is the opening ceremony of the BLINK weekend. Not only do we have school groups and marching bands and community performance groups, we also have 10 torchbearers who have been acknowledged by our community, who we are choosing to shine a light on, because of the work that they do to shine a light in their communities,” ,” Krulewitch-Browne says.
She says she's excited by the spirit of accessibility and inclusion.
"BLINK truly is for everyone. We can say that really proudly this year. The parade is such a momentous way to kick off,” she says. “We’re super stoked about the new route, along Mehring Way, on the riverfront. That means that both our folks on this side of the river and across the way will be able to celebrate and shine a light with us.”
Covington was added to BLINK in 2019, and the festival has expanded to Newport for the first time this year.
The parade grand marshals are the artists of BLINK. Executive Director Justin Brookhart says it’s a way to highlight the people whose work “the folks actually come to see.”
There are 12 installations and events at the riverfront, including the Supernova Light Bridge, and a drone show over the Ohio River.
The parade starts at 8 p.m., on Mehring Way between the stadiums. Here is a look at the route:
Music Hall will be lit up again this year
There hasn't been projection mapping at Music Hall since the 2015 Lumencity show.
The artistic director of AV Extended says the technology has changed a lot since then. Jeremie Bellot says energy-efficient lasers have replaced lamps, and they are more precise, and contrasting.
“Now we work with lots of contrast, and the images are really intense. So it’s easier for us to create artworks that go on with the illusion of metamorphosis of the building.”
Bellot says the seven-minute show, with music, has taken about four months to create. He says the projection is inspired by shapes found in nature.
“Geometrical art, fractals, symmetry, talking about crystals, bubbles,” he says. “What we can see on the microscope is the same when we can see the Earth, in its entire shape. So, I’m really focused on the similarities with geometry and nature.”
Music Hall is in the OTR Zone of BLINK. There are six zones total, reaching from Findlay Market to Covington and Newport.
More than 80 artists have created murals, sculptures, and projection mappings in an outdoor art show that spans 30 blocks.
How to get to BLINK
Metro and TANK are again offering free rides to BLINK this year.
BLINK Executive Director Justin Brookhart says it’s helped get a lot of people to the festival before.
“We partner with Metro and TANK. In 2022 they offered a similar service for us and they showed great ridership,” he says. There were an estimated 185,000 free rides during the last BLINK.
The two transit authorities, along with the Butler County Regional Transit Authority will again offer free rides from Park & Ride locations.
Here's what you need to know to get around.
Organizers have an accessibility consultant helping them make the event open to everyone
Organizers of BLINK are working with transit companies to bring people to the light and art festival. And they've worked with an organization to make it easier for everyone to get around once they're there.
Executive Director Justin Brookhart says accessibility has been on their minds.
“We partnered with a company called All In,” he says. “They really specialize in accessibility programs for events like New Orleans Jazz Fest. So they’ve been on board for a little while now, helping with our accessibility plans.”
Brookhart says they want everyone to be able to experience the public art festival.
He says BLINK has created online guides. “These are routes you can take that will allow you to check out installations. These are certain installations that have designated viewing areas for those folks who might be in mobility devices or might have some mobility challenges. We’re just trying to offer folks at all levels the ability to experience art. Art equity, I think, is a huge factor for us.”
Brookhart says the size and scope can be intimidating, so there are maps for anyone.
“You’ll see in our map that was released really recently there are suggested paths. And each of those paths takes a mile-and-a-half or less loop around the zone, and we try to feature as many signature installations as we can in those routes for you,” he says. “It’s still a choose-your-own adventure but we know some folks like to have some suggestions, so that’s what those are there for.”
Brookhart says there's a page of frequently asked questions and maps highlighting accessibility features, including designated parking, drop-off locations for people with mobility issues, charging stations for mobility devices, accessible bathrooms, and designated relief areas for service dogs.
BLINK will also have access teams, and ASL interpreters.
Music to be more of a feature at BLINK
BLINK is about light and art, but the executive director says there's an emphasis on sound this year.
Justin Brookhart says every projection mapping and many of the light sculptures during the four-night festival will have a soundtrack, saying organizers noticed people stayed longer at displays last time that had their own music.
"We just want to amplify that this year, so every single one of our light projections this year will have sound," he says. "Some of that will be soundtracks, some of that will be special scores recording particularly for that installation."
Brookhart also says there are stages scattered across BLINK with live performances, and there will be a number of wandering musicians.
You can find out who is performing when on BLINK's website.
Some shots from around town
Get a glimpse of what's to come in this photo gallery courtesy of WVXU's own Bill Rinehart, who walked around downtown Cincinnati this past weekend snapping photos.
Road closures to know in Cincinnati and NKY
BLINK begins Thursday, Oct. 17, but some streets will close earlier than that to make way for the festival. Here's what you need to know, courtesy of the city of Cincinnati's Department of Transportation and Engineering and the city of Covington:
Ohio
The following streets will close in advance of the event at times listed below:
- Plum Street- closes between Eighth Street and Ninth Street on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 9AM for BLM Mural Restoration. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 6AM.
- Court Street- closes between Walnut Street and Vine Street on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 9AM. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 5AM.
- Jackson Street- closes between Twelfth Street and Thirteenth Street on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 9AM. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 5AM.
- Freedom Way- closes between Rosa Parks Street and Marian Spencer Way on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 6AM. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 5AM.
The Blink Parade will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 8PM. In order to accommodate this event, the following streets will close at 7PM on Thursday, October 17, 2024, and remain closed until approximately 10PM:
- W Pete Rose Way- closed between Mehring Way and Central Avenue (closes at 4PM for staging)
- Rose Street- closed between Mehring Way and W Pete Rose Way (closes at 4PM for staging)
- Smith Street- closed between Mehring Way and W Pete Rose Way (closes at 4PM for staging)
- Mehring Way- closed between Gest Street and E Pete Rose Way
- Gest Street- southbound closed between Third Street and Mehring Way
- Central Avenue- closed south of Third Street (northbound Central Avenue remains open north of W Pete Rose Way)
- Elm Street- closed south of Second Street
- Race Street- closed south of Second Street (garage access maintained)
- Rosa Parks Street- closed south of Second Street (garage access maintained)
- Marian Spencer Way- closed south of Second Street (garage access maintained)
- Joe Nuxhall Way- closed south of Second Street (garage and hotel access maintained)
- Suspension Bridge- closed
- Ramp LL- closed
- Johnny Bench Way- closed
- E Pete Rose Way- closed west of Broadway
Blink event hours are from 7PM-11PM. The following streets will close nightly from 7PM until 11PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 18-20, 2024:
NORTH- SOUTH Streets
- Elm Street- closed between Central Parkway and Findlay Street (Liberty Street remains open to east-west traffic)
- Race Street- closed between Central Parkway and Findlay Streets (Liberty Street remains open to east-west traffic)
- Vine Street- closed between Third Street and Central Parkway (Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street remain open for east-west traffic)
- Walnut Street- closed between Third Street and Central Parkway (Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street remain open for east-west traffic)
- Main Street- closed between Second Street and Twelfth Street (Second Street, Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street and Central Parkway remain open for east-west traffic) (Main Street will close to maintain the streetcar)
- Jackson Street- closed between Twelfth Street and Central Parkway
EAST-WEST Streets:
- Fourth Street- restricted between Main Street and Race Street. The street will remain open as long as possible but may close due to crowd congestion.
- Seventh Street- restricted between Main Street and Race Street. The street will remain open as long as possible but may close due to crowd congestion.
- Charles Street- closed between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Twelfth Street- closed to through traffic between Main Street and Central Parkway
- Fourteenth Street- closed between Central Parkway and Race Street
- Grant Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Magnolia Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Odeon Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Wade Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Green Street- closed to through traffic between Vine Street and Elm Street
- Elder Street- closed between Vine Street and Central Parkway
- Court Street- closed between Race Street and Vine Street
- Freedom Way- closed between Race Street and Marian Spencer Way
MISC. Closures
- Fifth Street ramp from SB 75 will close Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 630PM until 11PM
- Suspension Bridge- closed 7PM to 11PM nightly
Kentucky
Monday, Oct, 14, 2024 at 8 a.m. through Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 at 5 p.m.
- Court Street from 3rd to 4th street will be closed.
- Park Place from Scott Street to Greenup will be closed.
NIGHTLY CLOSURES
Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024 through Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- 3rd Street from Scott Street to Greenup will be closed.
- Crawford Alley from Ziegler way to 5th Street will be closed.
- Crawford Alley from 5th Street to 6th Street will be closed.
- Clinton Alley from Madison Avenue to Crawford Alley will be closed.
- Pike Street from Madison Avenue to Washington Avenue will be closed.
- Roebling Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic. Pedestrian walkway will remain open.
BLINK at Braxton
Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024 at 7 a.m. to Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 at 12 p.m.
- W. 7th street from Madison Avenue to Washington Avenue will be closed.
Don't forget to check out Downtown's permanent BLINK sculpture on Court Street!
Officials with the city of Cincinnati, 3CDC and Asianati on Oct. 3 unveiled "Embrace No Evil" by local artist Tom Tsuchiya on the south side of the Court Street plaza.
The fiberglass and stainless steel sculpture is five-feet tall, four-feet long and four-feet deep and emits ambient LED light. Tsuchiya says it is based on the Buddhist and Confucian proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."
"It's my interpretation of the famous, age-old three wise monkeys," Tsuchiya says. "But instead of being represented separate, they're all huddled together embracing. It's a way to symbolize the idea that fighting evil is a community and city effort."
Learn more about the sculpture here.
Cincinnati Public Radio's BLINK Silent Disco returns for 2024!
As you navigate your way through the many blocks and dynamic light installations during your visit to BLINK, be sure to include Cincinnati Public Radio's SILENT DISCO, sponsored by York Vision.
What's a "silent disco?"
It's a dance party where guests wear wireless headphones and and choose which selection of music they'd like to dance to.
Where is this happening? And when?
Partnering with our friends at Findlay Market, we’ll have our silent disco under the cover of the farmers' market area. The event is happening on two nights — Oct. 18 and 19 — from 8-10:30 p.m.
Everything we know about BLINK 2024 so far
As always at BLINK, there is always much to see and do. The four-day light and art festival is happening for the fourth time in 2024, and this time, it extends even further into Northern Kentucky.
Here are a few key pieces to know before you go:
- Get details on the map...
- ...Including what you can see in Newport (new this year)
- Learn about the 2024 artists